Premium
Fast Gas Chromatography of Explosive Compounds Using a Pulsed‐Discharge Electron Capture Detector *
Author(s) -
Collin Olivier L.,
Niegel Claudia,
DeRhodes Kate E.,
McCord Bruce R.,
Jackson Glen P.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of forensic sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.715
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1556-4029
pISSN - 0022-1198
DOI - 10.1111/j.1556-4029.2006.00171.x
Subject(s) - explosive material , electron capture detector , detection limit , gas chromatography , electron capture , analytical chemistry (journal) , chromatography , extraction (chemistry) , chemistry , detector , explosive detection , ion , electrical engineering , organic chemistry , engineering
The detection of a mixture of nine explosive compounds, including nitrate esters, nitroaromatics, and a nitramine in less than 140 sec is described. The new method employs a commercially available pulsed‐discharge electron capture detector (PDECD) coupled with a microbore capillary gas chromatography (GC) column in a standard GC oven to achieve on‐column detection limits between 5 and 72 fg for the nine explosives studied. The PDECD has the benefit that it uses a pulsed plasma to generate the standing electron current instead of a radioactive source. The fast separation time limits on‐column degradation of the thermally labile compounds and decreases the peak widths, which results in larger peak intensities and a concomitant improvement in detection limits. The combination of short analysis time and low detection limits make this method a potential candidate for screening large numbers of samples that have been prepared using techniques such as liquid–liquid extraction or solid‐phase microextraction.